P&S that really does pre-focus

[douwe]

Once I started noticing how many shots I lost by not carrying a camera all the time, I decided to look for a carry everywhere point&shoot.
I bought a yashica T5 for 25 euros, and the lens is great. (even does quite well compared to my contax g gear) That said, I was immediately annoyed by the lack of true pre-focus: the camera takes a reading when you half-press the shutter, but it doesn't move the lens until you take the photo. It takes almost half a second to actually take a photo after you press the button! I decided to buy another cheap camera, a nikon L35 AF2. It has the same problem, although it is much faster than the T5.

I know my contax G1 does it the right way, and so does a Konica Hexar AF, and so does a Leica mini II. But what I really want is a cheap camera that I don't need to worry about at all. The kind you can leave on the table in a bar, because nobody is even remotely interested.

Can you help me out making a list of fixed lens compact AF cameras that actually prefocus? The checklist is as follows:

-Fixed lens
-Autofocus
-Compact, no larger than a Konica Hexar
-Reasonably silent
-ACTUAL PRE-FOCUS!

OK, now surprise me with your camera know-how! ;-)

 

[historicist]

GR1 series for a start.

 

[morback]

I should just create a signature that says Contax T3 does it all in the smallest package available! so that I don't have to repeat myself over and over again...

You can "program" (once and then forget about it) it so that it focuses at half depression. The delay is then minimal, very close to instantaneous.

 

[rjbuzzclick]

While not auto-focus, I would put in a plug for the Olympus XA2. It has three positions for scale focusing, and the middle position (which it defaults to when the cover is closed) will cover you for most situations. Plus, no shutter delay.

I tried an Olympus Stylus Epic for one roll of film, but eventually sold it because of the very reasons you mention.

Reid

 

[Dave Wilkinson]

Why bother with auto-focus - when the DOF of something like a XA makes scale focusssing easy and all that's really needed on this type of camera.
Dave.

 

[amateriat]

My Contax Tvs is incredibly quick, even without pre-focusing, whiich was a pleasant surprise when I first used it. (It's also pretty quiet while it's at it.)

My Ricoh GR-1, when it was still working, was also quick on its feet this way.


- Barrett

 

[batterytypehah!]

Original Nikon L35AF. Even has a focus indicator in the VF, which is good because the AF does get fooled occasionally.

Nicer than the AF2 anyway, because it has a filter thread and backlight comp switch. I paid $5 for mine, with a Hoya UV filter and one of those crappy aux lens sets. Talk about cheap enough that you don't need to care.

 

[douwe]

That is amazing! But why would nikon engineers have removed the pre-focus from their camera when they designed the L35 AF2? Anyway, I'm hunting one down right now!

 

[Ben Blacket]

I should just create a signature that says Contax T3 does it all in the smallest package available! so that I don't have to repeat myself over and over again...

You can "program" (once and then forget about it) it so that it focuses at half depression. The delay is then minimal, very close to instantaneous.

Same with the Nikon 35ti, but you wouldn't wanna leave either on the table in a bar.

 

[johannielscom]

This one is bartable safe.

The Konica C35 AF2 is the worlds first AF-camera, works with triangulation measuring (like a rangefinder), built in flash and Hexanon lens.

Aperture can be set, but shutter speeds are limited to 60, 125 and 250, so you will most likely have to use flash in your bar 😀

This AF-system is in a way incorporated in the Hexar AF, which can focus in pitch black darkness, using IR. I did it, and màn that was way cool!

 

[johannielscom]

Or have a look at this one.

Both should be really cheap and nobody will take it (read: nobody will take it serious, so it's the perfect stealth weapon!)

 

[batterytypehah!]

But why would nikon engineers have removed the pre-focus from their camera when they designed the L35 AF2?

Cost savings, I suppose. That VF seems a little silly now but must have added to the price in 1983. Also possible that Nikon marketing found this too complicated for the average p&s customer. (I think that's what killed the filter thread and backlight switch.)

By the way, try to get a late model (64 to 1000 ASA, as opposed to 100 to 400). Put some 800 film in there and the bar scene is yours. I even have the manual somewhere -- from memory, it goes to 1/830 top speed. Good to know, if daylight finds you before the end of that 800 roll.

 

[pvdhaar]

The Leica Minulux with 40/2.4 Summarit comes to mind, but it fails on two accounts: it's not cheaper than a Leica Mini-II and it's not even remotely silent..

 

[shadowfox]

Ricoh FF-90 tells you what it thinks is in focus (in terms of zones) in the viewfinder IIRC. I don't remember there's a lag in the shutter operation.

 

[Avotius]

I got a Ricoh FF-3 super and though it does not pre focus I swear it takes the photo right when you push that button. I was dry firing it today and watching the lens move and the shutter open and its darn quick, really no noticeable lag and they are dirt cheap with huge viewfinders.

 

[douwe]

So, how is the lens on the ricoh, and how loud is it, compared to a yashica t5 or a nikon l35AF?

I'm just bought the original nikon L35AF, and I hope it really pre-focuses, since the L35AF2 doesn't. (I bought that one first, it's a good thing they are so cheap!) The lens on it is quite good, I remember a nice story on the nikon history site about the design of the lens. It's a sonnar design, 5 elements in 4 groups, designed for speed and sharpness, but with some vignetting.

http://imaging.nikon.com/products/imaging/technology/nikkor/n33_e.htm

I also like the filtertread, it will take my contax g filters, and the backlight compensation switch is nice too.

How about the konica big mini series, does anybody know if they pre-focus?